Sasha the Wonder dog

Here is another big news of animal surrogacy. Well, it cannot be called purely surrogacy, I have used the word deliberately, as I hardly find any difference in mothers carrying others’ fetus in their womb and those who do not exactly do that, but give other’s babies a new horizon of life! It’s not about Jasmine - the greyhound this time, but a Rottweiler, Sasha who saved the life of a new born abandoned piglet. Yes, a newly born piglet, who had been abandoned by its mum found her life and a new world, while snuggling down with Sasha and her black-tan puppies. Sasha is indeed a good dog, but more than that she is a great as a mum – a Godmother!

The incidence happened in the farm house of Heidi Rhiann, of Pont Llogel, near Llanfyllin. The Belgian Blue piglet, named Apple Sauce had been abandoned by its mum as a the runt in the litter of 13 piglets. Sasha has changed the way we have been looking into the breed. Rottweilers have earned a great deal of bad fame as being one of the most dangerous dog breed in the world. Some governments have banned keeping Rottweilers. But Sasha has proved things wrong!

Apple sauce was in danger of kissing the dust when her mother rejected her. It’s life was to be decided by Rhiann. She thought Sasha her dog might take on the maternal duties for Apple Sauce, though she wasn’t sure. As a last resort, pig breeder Ms Rhiann was stuck by shrieking surprise to see Apple Sauce was suckling. Sasha, her puppies and Apple Sauce have formed an unlikely bond. Rhiann said, "It was the last chance for the piglet.I wrapped Apple Sauce in a blanket the puppies had been on to try and transfer the scent and left her next to Sasha…. about an hour later I went to see how they were getting along and Apple Sauce was suckling." She also said that the first-time mum Sasha, an 18-month-old, 45-kilo Rottweiler, had been a wonderful mother to Apple Sauce. Said said, Apple Sauce was skin and bone when I handed her over to Sasha and now she's gaining weight and starting to fatten up … Apple Sauce has a poorly trotter at the moment and Sasha knows this and is trying to lick it better. She instinctively knows Apple Sauce isn't in perfect health. We feed Apple Sauce with some supplementary feed and Sasha gives a concerned whine when we pick her up, as much as to say 'what are you doing with my puppy?'."

Mass Death of Hundreds of Sea Animals Brought Wrinkles on the Forehead of WildLife Researchers

More than 500 dead penguins have washed up on Sao Paulo state's shores. Researchers and environmentalists are on a serious investigating session, trying to discover the hidden cause of mass demise of the penguins.

According to the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources 530 penguins, five dolphins, three giant sea turtles PLUS many other sea birds have been found in the coastal towns of Peruibe, Praia Grande and Itanhaem, with more likely on other nearby beaches. A team of researchers at and biologists of Sao Paulo and a wildlife research center have spared serious thoughts on this issues trying to find out the possible reasons for the sudden and strange death of so many animals and birds all at a time.

According to Andrea Maranho, a veterinarian for the Sea Animal Rehabilitation Center in Praia Grande,  one of the most the probable causes for the mass death of the penguins is the sever exhaustion and hunger during their long migration from the waters off Argentina's southern Patagonia region.

Tiger Facts

The grace and beauty of the big cats have earned them a place in the list of world's most talked about animal, but at the same have also made them become one of the most endangered animals, with not even 4000 specimens left in amidst the wild world wide.

2010, being the tiger, stress have been laid down on evaluating the tiger population and strengthening strategies for their conservation. In the Chinese calendar 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, which is a zodiac sign associated with power, passion and courage.

Here is a list of most precious links to know more about tigers...

• ZSL. org
• Top 10 tiger trouble spots, 2010
• Jungle Walk tiger information
• Wildlife Protection Society of India
• Save the tiger fund
• WWF - Year of Tiger
• Indian tiger
• Andymcdermott tiger facts

Save Our Tigers - Part II

After sparing serious thoughts, the biologists have placed the tigers (panthera tigris) at the top of the list of most important endangered animals that are presently facing the menace of extinction. This is become the center of focus for the most significant conservation efforts that have been or going to be made in the year 2010, being the tiger year. The slogan “Save our Tigers” has created a buzz across the web with the fall of 2010. Models and celebrities have stepped forward alongside the many organizations and companies to raise their roars for “Save our Tigers”. Noble job indeed! But can this really make any difference? We, being animal lovers, have been blogging on animals and have posted our thoughts about Save our Tigers campaign. But we hardly feel that we can make any difference in the present situation that tigers across the globe are facing theses days! Yes… the tiger traders are quite aware of the fact that tigers are facing the threat of extinction and they are sure to find a place in museums if trading is not stopped. Who cares?? We, at In Love of Animals, don’t expect them to spare minutes on this blog and think about the poor animals. We have spared serious thoughts on the issue and raised our roars for the campaign in our post save our tigers. What we have written there is what we mean!

Diane Walkington, the head of species program for the WWF in the UK said, “this year has been designated the International Year of Biodiversity by the United Nations and so we have created a list of 10 critically important endangered animals that we believe will need special monitoring over the next 12 months…” He added, “there is particular importance in selecting a creature such as the tiger for special attention. To save the tiger, we have to save its habitat – which is also home to many other threatened species. So if we get things right and save the tiger, we will also save many other species at the same time.” Right said Mr. Walkington. We have to save the habitat. But how? Who will stop cutting forest? What’s the meaning of these kind of campaigns like “Save our Tigers”, if the criminals are not caught and punished?

With only around 3,200 tigers left on the planet, as per the census report 2010 goes, what are the steps to protect them from extinction? Most probably the 2010 tiger census that had begun on January 22, 2010, will sharpen up the debate on resettling forest dwellers. While this will go definitely in favor of the conservation but this may spark up confusion regarding the settlement of the forest dwellers. The primary report laid by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) states, "the principle components that significantly contributed to explaining variation in tiger densities were primarily those containing information on tiger sign indices, prey indices, anthropogenic disturbances and wilderness values." Tigers have to be protected. Studies have shown that they indirectly protect the habitat for Indian Gaur, wild dogs, Sloth Bear, leopards, Sambhar, wild boars, Cheetal and Nilgai in the wild. The Indian government seems quite optimistic with the conservation methods this year about protecting the big cats, although the last census delivered a terribly shocking figure. The death of 59 tigers from January to November 2009 was really worrying.

Note: The all-India 2010 census on the tiger population is being conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as a joint effort. There had been allegations that the states had fudged tiger counts in the past, which is said to be varying somewhere between 1,165 and 1,657. This is why the present campaign to save the tigers opted for settling for an average figure which is 1,411 tigers.

Rajesh Gopal, the head of NTCA said, "for the first time, we will be using the double sampling method which will be a combination of using camera trapping of the big cat. We will also be using GIS maps to help factor in the habitat and the status of the forests."

Save our Tigers

This post is made to support the petition, "save our tigers". Now the time has come for all hunters and animal lovers to come together for a common cause to save our tigers. Just 1411 tigers are left in India and as fewer as 350 are counting their days in the Mekong River region of Asia! The tiger population all over the world has slashed down at a shockingly alarming rate.

Nearly a century ago there were some 40,000 tigers that ruled the Indian subcontinent, said WWF. Poaching, wanton destruction of the natural habitat of the tigers and hunting of their natural prey are some of the major causes of the dire situation that threatens the existence of tigers across the globe today. But who doesn't know these things? What's the point of simply blogging and spreading awareness. I am sure such awareness programs will never work. Why? Because, everyone - every educated person across the world is quite aware of this threatening situation. We all know what is happening. We all know why tiger population has shrunk down so fast all over the world. I'm sure whoever is reading this post knows everything. So no point shouting about "Save our Tigers" across the web. Its a game that governments can only come up with an end. Here are just a few questions that I would like to be answered...

• How many tiger traders were caught in the past 10 years?
• How many tiger hunters have been hung to death in the past 10 years?
• How many tree traders have been put behind the bar in the past 10 years?
• If they can kill tigers, why cannot the security force kill them?
• What steps have been taken against the paralyzed security system?
• Why is it that in just 10 decades the tiger population in India has come down from 40,000 to 1411 despite spending so much time and money on of spreading awareness?
• Why is it that even after knowing everything tigers in China are in the verge of extinction?
  

If just shouting and blogging for the prevention of tigers would have been worthy enough, their wouldn't have questions for law, security and punishments! I would love to blog on Save Our Tigers all year round if it could be a real solution. Years are passing by without any remarkable changes in the conditions that are causing the tiger population shrink down at high pace.

Why despite of such awareness programs tigers and many other species are getting extinct?

This is not something that general mass can solve simply by spreading awareness on something that people are already aware of. Governments have to be more proactive and must change the way they have been looking to it. Laws and securities must be stronger and should not be just to know, but to implement too! Punishment.... if they can kill tigers, they MUST be killed too.

Tiger Year 2010 : Save the Tigers

Save Our Tigers


If you are an animal lover, you are on the right blog that talks about animals, prevention of cruelty to animals and any kind of information about animals. With the fall of 2010, the tiger year, the news about their existence has been so bad that it brought in wrinkles between our eyebrows!

There had been as many as 8 distinctive subspecies of tigers that could be found across the globe. Unfortunately three of them have already become extinct, and amongst the rest one is certain to become so within a short spell of time. Their range of existence used to be several pocket on the planet including Siberia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, China, India and southeast Asia, including the Indonesian islands. Sadly today, their population is severely on the wane, and just 1411 is left.

Better late than never. We still have time to spare thoughts over this. We can still do something to prevent tigers from going to museum and in the pages of history. If dogs can do, why can't we??? But my question is "what?" What can we really do? How? Will just spreading awareness work?

Stay tuned... I will share my serious thoughts.